Students must successfully complete the following program requirements (39 credits)
- Six core courses (18 credits)
- Four electives specialized seminars (12 credits)
- (At minimum) One capstone seminar (3 credits)
- Language requirement: All students must take at least one course (3 units) in the second official language (a compulsory course, an elective seminar or a capstone seminar, at the student's choice)
- A major research paper (6 credits)
For students registered in the co-op program, the degree requirements are the same, since both work terms and the report are not worth any credit.
- Six core courses (18 credits)
- Four elective seminars (12 credits)
- (At minimum) One capstone seminar (3 credits)
- Language requirement: All students must take at least one course (3 units) in the second official language (a compulsory course, an elective seminar or a capstone seminar, at the student's choice)
- A major research paper (6 credits)
- Two co-op placements with report (no credits)
It is possible for co-op students to take capstone seminars as part of their five elective seminars.
For a measure of flexibility, with the permission of the professor teaching the course and the API program coordinator, up to two courses may be replaced by courses offered by other academic units. The registration must be done through the GSPIA academic secretariat by submitting a hard copy of both permissions and the "Modification of registration" form to an academic assistant. The registration will be made according to the availability of places, at the opening of the registration of special students; the date is available in the academic calendar of the university for each semester.
The program normally extends over two years of full-time studies.
The first year of the program: Acquiring strong foundations
The first year of study is essentially dedicated to the core courses that will allow students to gain a strong multidisciplinary foundation in public and international affairs. Students must complete three or four mandatory courses (depending on the admission condition to take a mandatory remedial class in economics), involving different disciplines, during the first fall semester. The following winter session, students must complete the last three mandatory courses. Through these six mandatory courses completed during the first two sessions of the program, students will acquire the foundations required to understand contemporary issues in the formulation of public policy and the conduct of international affairs, and allowing them to continue on taking elective seminars on more specialized topics.
The Course Sequence for the First Year
| Fall Term | Winter Term |
|---|---|
| API 5105 Concepts and Issues in International Affairs | API 5126 Microeconomics for Public Policy |
| API 5116 Democratic Governance and Public Policy | API 5135 Ethics for Public and International Affairs |
| API 5125 Macroeconomic Policy OR API 5100 Economics of Public and International Affairs | API 5136 Research Methods for Public Policy |
The second year of the program
The second year of the program is designed to allow students to acquire deeper knowledge in specific areas. It requires the student to complete three sets of requirements: a set of four elective seminars, a capstone seminar, and a major research paper.
The student can take multiple capstone seminars; one capstone seminar will then count for the capstone seminar requirement and additional capstone seminars will count towards the elective seminar requirement.
Elective seminars
The elective seminars are grouped under three fields of concentration: public policy, international affairs, and development studies.
The capstone seminars (API 6399)
Each year, the School will offer a number of capstone seminars.
Each capstone seminar will focus on a specific problem of public policy, international affairs or development. For example, topics could include post-conflict reconstruction and the role of the UN, development and corporate social responsibility, or climate change policy. With the exception of those in the co-op option, students are required to chose and complete one of those seminars.
The capstone seminars will require that students work in small teams to prepare a detailed policy brief, offering both rigorous analysis and alternatives for action to address the problem at hand. At the end of the course, students will also be required to present their policy brief to their fellow students, faculty members, and senior fellows at the School.
The capstone seminar should serve as an opportunity to use, in a more integrative manner, the knowledge and techniques studied throughout the program. Moreover, in order to provide students with a better appreciation for the real-life constraints faced by policy-makers, diplomats and development workers, each seminar will be led by a regular faculty member, but it will also involve an experienced practitioner associated with the program.
The major research paper (API 6999)
As the final requirement of the program, students will write a major paper on a topic of their choice. Written under the supervision of a professor, the paper will be about 50 pages in length. It will be marked by two professors: the supervisor and an additional professor nominated by the program coordinator. Students can register to the major research paper as of the first summer session and must maintain registration in each following session until the submission of the final revised version. A maximum of 12 sessions are allowed to complete all program requirements.